Dairy-Free Butternut Squash Soup

Every time fall rolls around, I dive head first into squash recipes…I literally make squash, all different types of it, a few times a week. Recipes like those Stuffed Squash Boats I just posted weeks ago, and Spaghetti Squash Bolognese are current favorites.

I’ve also always been a huge fan of butternut squash soup…because, duh, of course I love it…it is squash after all! But most recipes for butternut squash, and most restaurant varieties as well, have dairy in them which is a no-no for me. I played around with making a dairy free version that is tasty, creamy, and exactly like the full dairy version…and this recipe is the final product.

The best part is you can whip it all together in your blender! I use my Vitamix, which I am obsessed with, but I am sure another blender will work fine. With another blender, you will probably need to warm the soup up, whereas a Vitamix warms the soup as it pureés it. SO easy!

If you use a hand blender, I recommend heating everything up in a pot on the stove, then blending it with the hand blender, and then warming it again for optimal warmth and creaminess.

A little bit of cooking is required for the squash, onions and garlic…but don’t worry, it is super simple. Pop the squash in the oven, then quickly cook the onions etc before throwing it all in the blender for the grand finale.

I like to serve this alongside a meal of chicken with salad or roasted salmon. Or, it is also great as a light lunch with some crusty bread!

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional- it adds a lot of savory flavor though…so you should use it!)

tiny dash of nutmeg (a little sprinkle will do!)

Directions:

Heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and place the butternut squash quarters on the sheet, cut sides up. Drizzle the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle on 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of black pepper to season it well. Roast the squash in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until it is all roasted and cooked through. Take it out of the oven and let it cool while you prepare the rest of the soup.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add a little bit of olive oil to the pan…then add the garlic, onion and celery. Sprinkle with sea salt and sauteé until fragrant and lightly browned. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Scoop the roasted squash out, leaving the skin behind, and add it to the blender. Next, add the onion skillet mixture, the stock, almond milk, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, nutritional yeast and that dash of nutmeg all to the blender. Place the lid on the blender and blend on medium speed. Slowly increase the speed to high and blend on high for a couple of minutes- in a Vitamix, this allows the soup to heat up! If your soup is too thick, add a bit more stock, 1/3 cup at a time.